Automatic feeder for shoe counter moulding presses



July 17, 1962 C. E. JOHNSON ETAL AUTOMATIC FEEDER FOR SHOE COUNTER MOULDING PRESSES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 1, 1960 c. E. JOHNSON ETAL 3,044,085

July 17, 1962 AUTOMATIC FEEDER FOR SHOE COUNTER MOULDING PRESSES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1, 1960 July 17,' 1962 c. E. JOHNSON ETAL 3,044,035

AUTOMATIC FEEDER FOR SHOE COUNTER MOULDING PRESSES Filed Nov. 1, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 17, 1962 c. E. JOHNSON ETAL ,04

AUTOMATIC FEEDER FOR SHOE COUNTER MOULDING PRESSES Filed Nov. 1. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 July 17, 1962 c. E. JOHNSON ETAL 3,

AUTOMATIC FEEDER FOR SHOE COUNTER MOULDING PRESSES Filed Nov. 1, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 it Stes aten 3,44,985 Patented July 17, was

AUTt'JR/IATL'C FEEDER FOR SHOE COUNTER MOULDING PRESSES Clarence E. Johnson, Rochester, N.H., and Henry W. Detert, Norway, Maine, assignors to Spaulding Fibre Company, 1110., North Rochester, NH, a corporation of New Hampshire Filed Nov. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 66,613 9 Claims. (Cl. 12-66) The present invention relates to the manufacture of shoe counter stiffeners from shoe counter stiffener blanks and more particularly to an automatic device for feeding such blanks into a moulding press which forms the blanks into shoe counter stiffeners.

Shoe counter stiffeners (commonly and herein called counters) are initially formed to the proper outline in relatively flat shape. The relatively flat blanks after being skived around their margins, scored and otherwise suitably treated are finally formed in a moulding or forming press to the required complex shape of a shoe counter.

The forming presses typically are provided with a counter blank receiving member to which the blanks are fed one by one. The blank receiving member pivots on the frame of the forming press from a generally horizontal position in which it receives the counter blank, to a gen- FIG. is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of 7 FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the head of the bending and transfer ram;

erally vertical position in which it delivers the blank to the forming dies. The flat counter blanks must be bent to U-shape before they are fed to the blank receiving member of the forming press. In many cases the feeding of the presses is done by hand, by an operator who bends and then inserts the counter blanks one at a-time between holding fingers on the blank receiving member of the press as it dwells in its blank receiving position. This invention provides an improved device for automatically bending the blanks one by one to U-shape and then inserting the bent blank in the blank receiving member of such a forming press.

The invention has as a principal object to provide an eflicient and effective automatic device for receiving counter blanks in relatively flat condition, bending them to U-shape and feeding them into a counter forming press. I Another object of the invention is to provide such a counter blank feeding device which is simple in construction and reliable in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an automatic counter blank feeding device wherein a safety device prevents movement of the counter blank receiving member of the associated press out of its receiving position when the feeding device is in condition such that such movement would cause damage to the press or feeding device.

Other and further objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which- FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the illustrative counter blank feeding device in position adjacent a counter forming press to feed the same;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on line 3- 3 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view line taken on line 44 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a vertical mid-sectional view, to an enlarged scale on line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the parts in their position at a subsequent phase of the feeding operation;

:FIG. 12 is an exploded view in perspective of the lower portion of the slide which feeds the blank out of the magazine;

FIG. 13 is a side view partly broken away of the structure of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 1414 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a wiring diagram of the electrical circuits for the main drive motor and the safety device; and

FIG. 16- is a diagrammatic representation of the pneumatic system by which the device is operated.

Referring to the drawings, the counter feeding device of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 in association with a counter moulding press of the typewhich it is adapted to feed. In FIG. 1 the counter feeding device appears at the left supported on a standard 2, and a portion only of the press, including the counter blank receiving member 4 thereof, appears at the right. The counter blank receiving member 4 is supported on a bracket 6 which in turn is supported on a transverse shaft 8 with which it rotates. In the position shown, the counter blank receiving member 4 is in its counter blank receiving position, The shaft 8 is continually intermittently rocked in its bearings on the frame 10 of the press, to move the counter blank receiving member 4 from its counter blank receiving position shown into a substantially vertical position, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, by means of an arm 12 splined to the shaft l The arm 12 is rocked by a lever 14 connected at its upper end to the arm 12 through a link comprising a tubular portion 16 pivoted on lever 14 into which is received the rod 18 pivoted on arm 12. The rod 18- is releasably connected to the tubular member 16 for movement therewith by means of a pin 20, FIG. 3, which may be withdrawn from engagement with rod 18 to provide a safety feature, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The feeding device comprises a main frame member 22 supported on a tubular member 24 by bolts 26 passing through a tubular member and through ar'cuate slots 28 in the main frame member whereby the feeding device may be adjusted to different angles to adapt it to the press to be fed. The tubular member 24 is slidably adjustable in the head 1 of the standard 2 and secured in adjusted position by a set screw 30 whereby the feeding device may be adjusted slightly to and from the press to bring it into the desired feeding position. The head 1 is rotatable on standard 2 to permit the feeding device to be swung out of the way when adjustment of the press or change of moulds for dilferent size or style of counter is necessary. This also allows feeding of the press by hand in event of failure or for a small run.

Mounted on the frame member 22 is a pair of base members 32, 32'. Supported on the base members 32,

32' by means of blocks 34 are a pair of plates 36, 38.

. their forward ends by means of a cross member 44.' The angle bars 40, 42 form a magazine in which is contained a supply of counter blanks 46 to be fed by the device. The counter blanks are urged forwardly (to the right in FIGS. 1 and 2), by means of a follower 48 which rides on the angle bars '40, 42 and is maintained by gravity in contact withthe stack of counter blanks by hand and the fresh supply of. blanks dropped into position between the follower and the stack of blanks in the magazine. The angle bars 40, 42 may be ad- ;justed toward and from each other, to accommodate different sized blanks, by means of the slots 50 in the plates 36, 38 through which pass the bolts 51 which ,mount the angle bars 40, 42 on the plates. As the blanks 1 approach the feed position at the extreme forward ends zine under the influence of the follower 48 is prevented by a feed slide 56, which will now be described. Mounted on the main frame member 22 is a vertical frame member 58. The-vertical frame member 58 may be adjusted endwise by means of an adjusting screw 60' secured to a lug 62 on the frame member 58 by means of lock nuts 64, 66 and threadedat its lower end into a lug 68 cast integral with the frame member 22. A lock nut 70 on.

the adjusting screw 60 is set up against the lug 68 to maintain the adjusting screw in adjusting position. The feed slide 56 moves endwise of the vertical frame member 58 in suitable ways.

7 It operates during its down stroke to remove the leading blank 46 from its feed position in the magazine and carry it downwardly to a bending station in which its lower margin rests on the frame members 32, 32'. For this purpose the feed slide 56 is provided with a downwardly facing shoulder 72 which during the downward movement of the fed slide 56 engages the upper margin of the leading blank only of the stack and carries it downwardly with the feed slide. The follower 48 then advances the stack to bring the next blank forwardly into feed position with its front face in contact with the rear face of feed slide 56. The feed slide 56 is reciprocated by a piston rod 74 connected to a piston (not shown) in a pneumatic cylinder 76 supported on the vertical frame member 58.

Mounted for reciprocating movement toward and from the press on the frame members 32, 32 is a counter blank. bending and transfer ram 78. The ram 78 is guided, FIG. 10, by suitable ways formed in the facing edges of the'frarne members 32, 327. At the forward end of the ram is a head 80 (-FIG. 11) pivotally connected to the ram by a transverse pin 82 passing through spaced ears 84, 86 on the head 80 and a corresponding car 88 on the forward end of the ram 78. The head 80 rests upon and slides on the frame members 32, 32.

As the blank 46 which has been fed downwardly to the bending station (FIG. 6) rests in the bendingstation with its lower margin bearing on the frame membars 32, 32', the center portion of the blank is pre-. vented from moving forwardly (toward the press) by r the feed slide 56. In this position the ends of the blank are engaged by spaced fingers 90, 92 mounted onthe V forward face of the head 80 by bolts 94, 96 respectively,

passing through elongated slots 98 in the head 80, whereby the fingers may be adjusted vertically and horizontally to accommodate blanks of different sizes,

The feed slide 56 is provided at its lower end with shoe 99 is adjustably mounted on the feed slide 56 by means of a pair of machine screws 190, 102, which pass through the feed slide 56 and are threaded into the forming shoe 99, in cooperation with four adjusting screws 1% which are threaded'through the feed slide'56'and bear against the forming shoe, one adjacent each of its four corners. By appropriate adjustment of these SIX screws the forming shoe 99 may be rocked into various positions to accommodate blanks of different sizes and shapes. The shoe 99 maybe removed and replaced by other shoes of different sizes and shapes, for the same purpose.

The ram 78 is reciprocated by means of a piston rod 106 pinned to the forward end of the ram and connected to a piston (not shown) in the pneumatic cylinder 108 which is supported on the frame members 32, 32'.

At its rearward end the ram 78 carries a transversely extending lug lli) (FIGS. 8 and 9) through which is threaded a stop screw 112 which strikes against the frame member 32 to limit the forward travel of the rami Referring to FIG. 6, as the ram head 80 moves forwardly with the feed slide 56 in its down position and with a single counter blank 46- positioned in the bending station, the fingers 90, 92 engage the ends of the blank and bend them forwardly to bend the blank into U-shape, the center portion of the blank being held stationary by the forming shoe 99 on the slide 56, as the slide 56 dwells in its down position. As the ram continues forwardly, the feed slide '56 is raised by cylinder 76 and the ram continues its forward motion, FIG. 7. As the blank, now bent to a U-shape, moves from the position of FIG. -6 to the position of FIG. 7, its upper margin is engaged by the spring linger 114 to cooperate in proper position.

with the fingers 90, 92 in maintaining the U-shaped blank The blank 46, FIG. 7, moves on from its dotted line position, in which. the spring finger 114 is raised into its dotted position, until the blank is carried beyond the forward end of the frame members 32, 32 (passing out of engagement with the spring finger 114 at about this point) and is inserted in the receiving member 4- of the press. The receiving member 4 is provided on its upper face with two sets of spring pressed fingers 116, each .of which receives the lower margin of one of the ends of the U-shaped blank to grasp and hold 'it firmly in position on the receiving member 4. The ram is then retracted by the cylinder 108 to its rearward position preparatory to the beginning of a new cycle in which a second blank is fed, After the ram 78 has moved toward its rearward position so that the fingers 90, 92 are clear of the receiving member 4, the press operates to move the lever 14 to rock the shaft 8 and move the receiving member 4 from its position as shown in FIGS. 1, 7, 8 and 9 to its dotted line position of FIG. 1 to present the blank to the moulding dies.

To prevent upward swinging movement of the receiving member 4while the fingers 90, 92 are in position above the receiving member (and therefore would cause damage to the press or to the feeding device) we provide the safety feature shown particularly in FIGS. 1, 3 and 15,

wherein the pin 2% is drawn downwardly to disconnect the rod 18 from the tubular member 16 so that movement of the lever 14 does not move the receiving memher '4. Referring to FIG. 15, the main driving motor 118 of the press isop'erated from a 3-phase power supply 129 through a 3-pole normally open switch 122, under the control of a control circuit supplied from a volt supply 124 which also operates the safety device. The

' pin 20 is arranged to be retracted from engagement with the rod 13 upon energization of solenoid 126, FIGS. 3 and 15, which rocks lever 128 to pull the pin 29 downwardly.

Referring again to FIG. 15, when the start button is pushed to close normally open switch 130 the relay 132 is energized through supply line 134, line 136, switch 130,

line 138, normally closed stop switch 140, line 142 and a holding circuit for the relay 132 through normally open switch 146, line 148, normally closed switch 150, line 152,

i switch 140, line 142 and supply line 144. At the same time, normally closed switch 154 in the circuit of sole noid 126 is opened. When the stop button is pressed to open normally closed switch 140 the holding circuit for the relay 132 is opened, causing switches '122 and 146 to be opened and switch 154 to be closed.

' When the ram 78 has moved forwardly sufficiently to bring the fingers 90, 92 above the receiving member 4, which is a dangerous condition if the member 4 should then be swung upwardly, the lug 110 (FIGS. 8 and 9) closes the normally open switch 156 (FIGS. 8, 9 and Closing of switch 156 lights a red telltale light 158 through line 134, line 168, line 162, normally closed switch 164, line 166 and switch 156 to line 144. This shows that a dangerous condition exists. At the same time closing of switch 156 closes a circuit through supply line 144, switch 156, line 166 and line 168 to a timer 170 to cause a moving contact 172 of the timer to begin to move toward the fixed contact 174. In normal operation the moving contact 172 of the timer does not reach the contact 174 before the ram 78 is moved rearwardly to open the switch 156 and reset the timer. If, however, for any reason the ram 78 fails to retract before the end of the normal period for which the member 4 dwells in its lower position, the timer contact 172 doesreach the contact 174 (the timer having been appropriately set) to energize the relay 176 through switch 156, line 166, the timer, line 178 and line 180 to supply line 134. Solenoid 176 when energized opens switch 164 to turn off telltale light 158. It also closes the normally open switch 182 to open the main motor switch 122 and energizes the solenoid 126 to cause pin to be retracted and thus prevent operation of the press receiving member 4. This is accomplished by energization of solenoid 184 through switch 156, line 166, line switch 182, line 186 and line 188. When solenoid 184 is energized it opens normally closed switch 150 to break the holding circuit for the motor starting switch solenoid 132, stopping the motor, and closes normally open switch 190 to energize solenoid 126 through line 192, switch 190, line 194 and line 196, normally closed switch 154 now being closed. These same operations of energizing solenoid 126 and stopping themain motor also can be brought about by closing of a safety switch 198..

:In the embodiment of the invention illustrated and described the pistons and cylinders 76 and 108 which produce the various described motions are operated by pneumatic pressure. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the pneumatic system by which these cylinders 76 and 108 are operated. The cylinders are operated under the control of two control valves 280 and 202 which are identical in construction and are a standard, well known commercially available type of air operated control valve. Air under pressure is conducted from a supply 284 to the pressure port 286 of valve 208 and the corresponding port 288 of the valve 202. Air under pressure from the supply 284 is also conducted through ports 210, 212, 214 and 216 to the head spaces of valves 280- and 202. The parts are shown in their position at the beginning of a cycle, with the feed slide raised and the ram in its rearward position. As the counter receiving member 4 of the press moves into its downward or counter receiving position, the pilot valve 217 is momentarily opened, which releases air from the left head space 218 of valve 200, causing a drop in pressure in the head space to cause its piston 220 to move to the left. In this condition valve 200 connects the pressure source 204 to the upper head space of cylinder 76 through line 222 and connects the lower head space of this cylinder through line 224 to exhaust line 226. Thereupon the piston of cylinder 76 moves downwardly, carrying the feed slide 56 downwardly. As the feed slide. reaches its lowermost position it opens a pilot valve 228 connected through line 230 to the left head space 232 of control valve 202, moving the piston 234 of this valve to the left. In its leftward position the piston 234 connects the pressure port 208 through line 236 to the rear head space of 6 cylinder 108 and connects the front head space of cylinder 108 through line 238 to the exhaust l1ne 240. Thereupon the piston in cylinder 108 moves forwardly and through piston rod 106 moves the ram 78 forwardly (toward the pres-s) to bend the counter blank 46 which is in the bending station and transfer it to the counter receiving member 4 of the press. The ram is provided w th a pilot valve operating lug 242 (FIGS. 8 and 9) carried on a rod 244 which is connected at its forward end to the ram 78 and is guided at its rearward end in a guide 246 mounted on the frame member 32. As the ram head 80 closely approaches the counter blank which is held in the bending station by the forming shoe 99 the valve operating lug 242 opens a pilot valve 248, bleeding air through line 250 from the right'hand head space of control valve 200 and unbalancing the pressure on the end-s of piston 220 to cause it to be moved to the right. In its right hand position the piston 220 connects the pressure port 206 through line 224 to the lower head space of cylinder 76, raising the piston in this cylinder and thus raising the slide 56 and moving the forming shoe 99 out of .engagement with the counter blank which now has been bent to U-shape and is engaged between the fingers and 92. The .upper head space of cylinder 76 is at the same time connected through.

line 222 to the exhaust port 251. The piston in cylinder 1G8 continues to move forwardly, moving the ram forwardly, until the valve operating lug 242 opens the pilot valve 252, as the head of the ram closely approachesits forwardmost position with the counter properly inserted in the fingers 116 and the stop screw 112 in engagement with the frame member 32. Opening the pilot valve 252 lowers the pressure, through line 254, in the right hand head space of valve 202, causing the piston 234 to be moved to the right by which movement it disconnects the rearward head space of cylinder 108 from the air pressure supply and connects it to exhaust through line 236 and exhaust port 256. At the same time, the forward head space of cylinder 108 is connected to the pressure port 208 through line 238 to cause the piston of cylinder 108 to be moved rearwardly, moving the ram 78 and the ram head 80 to its rearwardmost position preparatory to the beginning of a new cycle.

Summarizing the steps in theoperation, the counter receiving member 4 of the press is moved to its lower position as shown in FIG. 1, initiating the downward I movement of the feed slide 56 to remove the leading blank from the magazine and lower it to the bending station. The ram 78 then comes forwardly, its fingers 90, 92 striking the ends of the blank and bending it into U-shape as its center portion is held by the forming shoe 99 about which the blank is bent. Slide 56 then retracts, moving the forming shoe 99 upwardly out of the path of the counter. The ram continues its forward movement, inserting the U-shaped counter into the spring.

fingers 116 whereupon the ram reverses its direction of movement and is retracted to the beginning position.

The counter receiving member 4 is then swung upwardly to transfer the counter blank into position to be operated upon by the forming dies of the press. Should the ram for any reason have failed to retract quickly enough to withdraw the fingers 90, 92 from position above the receiving member 4 by the time this member 4 normally would be swung upwardly, the timer will have completed its run to close the contacts 172, 174, energizing the solenoid 126 to withdraw the pin 20 from engagement with the rod 18, thereby disabling the connection between lever 14 and the receiving member 4 to prevent upward swinging movement of the member 4.

We claim:

1. An automatic feeding device for feeding shoe counter blanks into a shoe counter forming press, which comprises a magazine for holding a supply of counter blanks and advancing them to a feed position, a feed slide for removing the counter blanks one at a time from l the magazine feed position and feeding them one by one counter blanks into a shoe counter forming press, which comprises a magazine for holding a supply of counter blanks and advancing them to a feed position, a feed slide having a shoulder for engaging an edge of the counter blank in the feed position in the magazine and feeding it from the magazine to a bending station, and a reciprocable ram having a pair of spaced fingers for engaging the end portions of the blank at the bending station, bending it to U-shape about a portion of the feed slide and transferring the bent blank into a counter forming press.

3. An automatic feeding device for feeding shoe counter blanks into a shoe counter forming press which comprises a reciprocable ram having spaced fingers for' engaging a'counter blank, forming it into U-shape-and transferring it into a counter forming press, a magazine for holding a supply of counter blanks and advancing them to a 'feed position, and a feed slide for removing counter blanks one at a time from the magazine, moving each blank into the path of said fingers and holding the center portion of the blank as the advancing fingers engage the end portions of the blank to bend the blank about the feed slide. 7

4. An automatic feeding device for feeding shoe counter blanks into a shoe counter forming press com- ..prising a magazine for storing a supply of shoe counter blanks, gravity operated means for advancing the counters in the magazine to a feeding position, a reciprocable feed slide for removing a counter blank from said feeding position, positioning the blank at a bending station and temporarily holding the center portion of the blank at said station against bodily movement in one direction, a reciprocable ram having spaced fingers, means for advancing the ram in said direction in timed relation with the movements of'said feed slide to engage said fingers with the end portions of a so-held blank and bend the end portions of the blank about its center portion to form the blank into a U-shape, means for disengaging said feed slide from said U-shaped blank, and means for further advancing said ram to transport the U-shaped ,blank into said press.

5. Mechanism for moulding shoe counters comprising a shoe counter forming press and an automatic shoe counter blank feeding device for feeding counter blanks into said press, said press including a counter blank receiving member pivoted on the frame of the press for pivotal movement from a position to receive a counter blank from said feeding device to a position to cause the blank to be subjected to a forming operation there- E; tion of said counter feeding device, to prevent pivotal movement of said receiving member out of its position in which it receives the blanks. 1

7. 'Mechanism for moulding shoe counters comprising a shoe counter forming press and an automatic shoe counter blank feeding device for feeding counter blanks into said press, said press including a counter blank receiving member pivoted on the frame of the press for pivotal movement from, a position to receive a counter disabling said pivoting means, upon failure in the operapivotal movement from a position to receive, a counter blank from said feeding device to a position to cause the blank to be subjected to a forming operation thereon, drive means for repeatedly pivoting said receiving member from one of said positions to the other, and means for disconnecting said drive means upon failure in the operation of said'counter feeding device while said receiving member is in its blank. receiving position.

8. An automatic feeding device. for feeding shoe counter blanks into a shoe counter forming press comprising a magazine for storing a stack of counter blanks and advancing them to a feeding position, a counter bending and transfer ram adapted for reciprocating movement beneath the magazine in a direction endwise of the stack of blanks therein and having a pair of horizontally dis-' posed spaced finger-s extendingforwardly from said ram in the direction of movement of said ram, a feed slide arranged for vertical reciprocating movement past said magazine to remove the leading blank from the stack at the feeding position, move it downwardly into a bending station in the path of movement of said ram and support the center portion of the blank against movement in the direction of movement of said ram, means for advancing the rain to bring said fingers into engagement with the end portions of the counter blank at said bending station, while the center portion of the blank is so held by the feed slide, to bend the blank into U-shape, means to raise the feed slide out of engagement with the bent counter blank and means for thereupon further advancing said ram with the U-shapedblank held between said fingers to transfer the blank into a counter forming press. 9. An automatic feeding device for feeding shoe counter blanks into a shoe counter forming press com prising a magazine for storing a stack of counter blanks and advancing them to a feeding position, a counter bending and transfer ram adapted for reciprocating movement beneath the magazine in a direction endwise of the stack of blanks therein and having a pair of horizontally disposed spaced fingers extending forwardly from said ram in the direction of movement of said ram, a feed slide arranged for vertical reciprocating movement past said magazine to remove the leading blank from the stack at 'the feeding position, move it downwardly into a bending station in the path of movement of said ram and support the center portion of the blank against movement in the direction of movement of said ram, means for advancing the ram to bring said fingers into engagement with the end portions of the counter blank at said bending station, while the center portion of the blank is so held by the feed slide, to bend the blank into U-shape, means to raise the feed slide out of engagement with the bent counter blank, means for thereupon further advancing said ram With the U-shaped blank held between said fingers to transfer the blank into a receiving member of a counter forming press, and means for preventing movement of said receiving member while said ram is in its further advanced position.

. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,517,695 Ayer Dec. 2, 1924 2,648,853 Garyait'un Aug. 18, 1953 2,718,649 Forster Sept. 27, 1955 

